This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Here's an unusual view of the venerable Disneyland Hotel, circa 1970. This photo is sharper than most of the older Instamatic photos, so my friend must have gotten a new camera! You can see the Sierra Tower in the distance, with the brand-new Marina Tower to the right.

This next image is from a negative that was extremely scratched and beat up. It took me a lot of time in Photoshop to make it somewhat presentable, but I thought that it was worth it for this neat interior view of the Matterhorn, as taken from the Skyway.

Wow, Frontierland is extremely crowded in this undated photo! It is clearly chilly (everyone seems to be wearing a jacket or sweater), but the sun is shining, and even the rafts to and from Tom Sawyer Island are packed. I can only assume that "Pirates of the Caribbean" had opened recently (it debuted in March 1967), and everyone and their grandmothers wanted to see this amazing ride that they had heard about.

Hey Major, the interior Matterhorn shot is one of the best of your collection. Thank you for the extra time and effort to clean it and share it! I'm 99% certain that the photographer didn't use flash, or else the large curved beam in the foreground would be illuminated and bright. The photographer simply got #20 in a nice bright bit of reflected sunshine as they headed up the incline. Super picture!!

Major - You could see clearly inside the Matterhorn during the daylight back in those days and it was obvious to see that it was a roller coaster with the visible girders, tracks, etc. I remember people from time to time commented how disappointed they were with the interior when the outside of the mountain was done so beautifully. I think the 1978 enchancement was definitely a big improvement with the exception of the view being covered at the top of the lift. Otherwise I have a nostalgia for the original interior.